Rug display device



Sept-8,1953 H. L. RUBIN HAL 2,651,127

RUG DISPLAY 'DEVICE Filed Feb. 28. 1949 Patented Sept. 8, 1953UNITEusTATEs PATENT OFFICE Long Beach, Calif.

Application February 28, 1949, Serial No.' 78,786

(c1. ALIL-t) .4 Claims.

Our invention relates to the leldof merchandising displays, and moreparticularly to arug display device.

In the conventional retail furniture store it is common practice toplace rugs one upcn the other, and to display the stacked rugs toprospective customers by the salesman throwing-a portion of theuppermost rugs rearwardly on the stack to display the rug situatedthereunder. Displaying rugs in this manner has several disadvantageswhich include: the rugs occupying valuable Iioor space, the prospectivepurchaser being able to see lonly a portion ofthe rug, and the labor andinconvenience to the salesman in throwing back numerous rugs in orderthat the customer can see a particular rug which may be situated in thelower portion of the stack. The primary purpose of our invention is toeliminate the disadvantages and inconvenience of the present method ofdisplaying rugs in mercantile establishments.-

A major object of our invention is to provide a rug display rack-whichcan be positioned on either the walls or ceiling of a furniture Astoreand thus utilize what is normally waste space, is sufficiently easy tooperate as to permit the desired rug to be inspected by a customereither with or without the assistance of a salesman,and is suicientlyattractive in appearance as to'ad'd to rather than detract from thedecorative motif of the store in which it is situated.

Another object of our invention is to supply a rug display device whichhas an extremely simple Vmechanical structure, is capable of beingfabricated from standard commercially available materials, does notrequire the use of skilled personnel in its assembly, and can be sold tothe furniture store trade at a sufficiently low price as to encourageits widespread use. Y

These and other objects and advantages of our invention will becomeapparent from the fol-1 lowing description of a preferred form thereof,and from the drawing illustrating that form in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational display device;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional viewlooking upwardly and taken on theline 2-2 of Fig.V l;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational View of the device;

Fig. 4 is 4a combined elevational and vertical cross-sectional view ofthe tension control mech-v anism taken on the line 4-4 o f Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the view o f our rug Fig.2.

two laterally spaced hangers H and H ro tatably support a girder box Btherebetween, with the box B having a rug R shown in phantom line'wrapped therearound. lA crank C engages one end of the girder box Brotatable mounting adjacent to the hanger H, and permits torsion to beplaced on spring means whereby the weight of the rug R is compensatedfor when in a downwardly extending position. Y The girder box B on whichthe rug R is wrapped when not being displayed, as may best be seen inFig. 5, has a Vrectangular cross-section, and is formed from fourlongitudinally extending members I0, each of which overlaps and isnormal to an adjacent member. The members I0 when thus arranged have abore II of rectangular cross-section extending longitudinallytherethrough, with the members being held together by wood screws,cement, or other conventional means normally employed for this purpose.

Situated within the confines of the bore II are two laterally spacedwood blocks I2, with each of the blocks having-a longitudinallyextending bore I3 of annular cross-section formed therein. Each of theblocks I2 is h eld in the desired position by a number of screws I4which extend through the members IIlto engage the blocks.

rIwo rectangular metal caps I5, each having an` inwardly extending lipI6 formed around the edge thereof are mounted on the ends of the girderbox B. Each of the capsl I5 has an inwardly extending boss I1 ofYrectangular crosssection thatengages the outer portion of the boreII'and at the same time the lips I6 engage the outer surface of the box.A bore I8 of annular cross-section extends longitudinally through eachofthe caps I5 and bosses IG, andis positioned in co-axial alignment withthe bores I3 formed in the blocks I2. Each ofthe caps I5 has a number ofbores formed therein through which wood screws I9 extend to engage theends of the members I0 and hold the caps I5 in position thereon.

The girder Abox B is rotatably supported on two shafts 20 and 2 I, witheach of the shafts 'exe tending through one of the caps I5 to engage oneof the bores I3. The outer portion of the shaft 20 is rotatablysupported from the hanger H' while the shaft 2| is similarly supportedfrom thehanger H.

In Fig. 2 it will be seen that the shaft 29 has a helical spring 22encircling the portion of the shaftsituated Awithin the connes ofthebore II. One end of the spring 22 rests against a washer 23 that issituated against the outer face of one of the blocks I2, while the otherend of the spring is held in place by a pin 24 which extends through theshaft 20 adjacent to the inner edge of one of the bosses I1. The helicalspring 22 is at all times in compression and tends to move the shaft 28outwardly. However, the shaft 20 has a ring 25 mounted thereon which isforced against the supporting" portion 4of the hanger H' to preventappreciable "longitudinal movement of the girder box B.

The hanger H' as may best be seen in Figs. l and 2 includes a baseportion 216 from which a rigid member 21 extends outwardly, with themember 21 having an angularlydisposedsslotzz formed therein whichrotatably engages the outer portion of the shaft ZDandpermitsnur .rugdisplay device to be positioned from eitherthe ceiling or the verticalwalls of a showroom. The base 26 has two laterally spaced bores formedtherein through which bolts 29 extend to l.engage the ceiling or wallonwhich ourdevice is mounted. Due to the spring -22 ibeing .at Tall :timescompression, 'the ring 25 yon the shaft `2|) is :at .all times forcedoutwardly :into contact with the inner surface of the member .21, andthusprevents lateral movement lof the -girder box B .for reasons whichwill hereinafter .become apparent.

The hanger H is `similar in'construction tothe hanger Hf, but ispreferably `formed with a substantially diamond shaped base 3|! havingthree bores formed thereinthrough which bolts 3| 'extend to fasten thehanger Hto the ceilingor .walls of the display room.. A .rigid member 21extends downwardly from Athe base wand is provided with an angularlydisposed slot 28 .therein that rotatably supports the Youter end of theshaft 2|.. Situated on the extremity of the member .21, and on theinterior face thereof, is a bolt 33 on which a pawl 34 of conventionaldesign is pivotally mounted. A ratchet 35 is mounted on the shaftv 2|,and is held in position thereon by a pin 36 which extends through .both'fthe .ratchet #and the shaft.

lThe ratchet 35 as may best be seen in Fig.. 2 is positioned .on theshaft 2| adjacent to the interior face of the downwardly extendingmember -21-onthe hanger H. A vhelicalspring 31 is situated in theconfines of the bore H and encircles the shaft 2l, with one vend of the.spring being affixed tooneof the caps |5 bya screw 38A as may best -beseen in Fig. 5. The `opposite end .of the spring 31 `terminates adjacentto the outer face of one of -the blocks |2, and is rigidly affixed tothe shaft 2| by a pin l39 which extends through an eye formed in thespring and .a bore inthe shaft 2|.

The crank C is formed with a handle 4|), anda shaft engaging .portion 4|of annular cross-section which is adapted to be slidably inserted in theouter end of the tubular shaft 2|, with the portion 4| having a slotformed therein which is adapted to engage the pin-36. Thus, by .rotatingthe-crank C torsion is placed on `the helical spring 31, with thelresult that the girder .box B resists clockwise rotation and thuscompensates for the weight of the rug .R when. .it is in. the downwardlyextending position shown vin Fig. l.

The operation -of our invention .is extremely simple. The hangers H andH are mounted on the ceiling or one of the side walls of the displayroom in the desired position, and laterally spaced from one another atsuch a distance as. to permit the vgirder box B to be positionedtherebetween. The shafts 2u and 2| are each positioned in the hangers Hand H respectively, with the spring 22 at all times being in compressionand forcing the girder box B to the left due to the ring 25 engaging theinner surface of the member 21. The desired torsion to compensate forthe Weight of the rug R when in the downwardly extending displayingposition is placed on the spring 31 by rotating the shaft 2| by use ofthe crank C as previously described. After `torsion has been placed onthe spring 31 the spring is prevented from unwinding and assuming itsinitial posi- Vtion due to the pawl 31B engaging the ratchet wheel 35.Of course, .when it is desired to re- Vmove 'torsion from the spring 31the paWl 34 is 'disengaged Y'from :the .'.ratchet wheel 35 which per---the torsion on the spring to rotate the shaftzt.

'With 'the rug R wrapped on the girder box B and'ftorsion on the spring31, the rug R can be moved downwardly as shown in Fig. 1 by use of a.-iiexible .strap d2 that extends downwardly froma rigid bar 43 which isclamped to the .lower horizontal edge of the rug. The bar .43 issuiciently .long so Athat when the rug .is .moved up- .Wardlydue torotationof the girder box B by tor sion on thespring 31, the bar A3 willengage the hangers H and H .and prevent the girder .box rotating afterthe rug R has been fully wound thereon.V It will be apparent that .ifthe spring 31 has .been .adjusted so .as vto virtually exactlycounterbalance and effectively support the rug R .in downwardlyextended. display position, slight .upward .movement of -the suspendedportion'of .therug-R caused iby manually lifting the bar lt3, the handle42 -orthe lower .portion of the rug -Rto a slight extent so as` toeifectively reduce the weight of. the rug. supported by the spring 31.,will cause :said Yspring .3.1 to immediately begin `to rewind the 'rugRon the. girder .box B. Then the rug can be releasedandsince theeffective weight of the depending portion of the rug. is now less thanit was before, .the spring means will .exert a greater upward lforcethan .the .downward vforce .exerted .by the weight of the dependingportion .of the .rug R, thuscausing the rug -R to be entirely rol-ledup.

While theparticular rug .display device herein. shown and describedin.detail is fully capable .of .attaining .the vobjects and Aproviding theadvantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merelyillustrative of the presently .preferredembodimentV of our invention,and .that we do not mean to limit ourselves. to Athe details ofconstruction or design. herein shown other than. asdei-"ined in theappended. claims.

We claim:

1. A, `rug displaying device which includes.: .a hollow Velongated rugsupporting member; block means positioned within the. confines of saidmember, with. said means having a longitudinally extending bore formedtherein; a pair of plates, with each of said plates being aiiixed .toone fof. the 4ends of said member, and each of said plates having a boreformed therein that is .in -co-axial .alignment with. the bore formed insaid block means; a pair of shafts, with each of said. Yshaftslongitudinally positioned in said member and journaled in said bores; apair of supports, with each of. said supports rotatably supporting oneof .said shafts; spring means situated withi'n .the confines of said.member and tending to prevent the rotation of said member in onedirection; and means to regulate the torsion on said spring whereby theweight of a rug when in a downwardly extending displaying position iscompensated for and said member remains stationary.

2. A rug displaying device which includes: a hollow elongated rugsupporting member; a pair of shafts, with each of said shafts journaledin one of the end portions of said member and extending outwardlytherefrom; a pair of supports, with each of said supports having anangularly disposed slot that rotatably supports one of said shafts topermit said supports to be positioned on either a horizontal or verticalsurface; spring means positioned within the connes of said member, withsaid spring means tending to prevent the rotation of said member in onedirection; crank means for regulating the torsion on said spring means;and ratchet means to hold the desired torsion on said spring meanswhereby a rug when extending downwardly from said member in a displayingposition will have its weight compensated for and said member willremain stationary.

3. A rug displaying device which includes: a hollow elongated rugsupporting member; a pair of shafts, with each of said shafts journaledin one of the end portions of said member and extending outwardlytherefrom; a pair of supports, with each of said supports having anangularly disposed slot formed therein that rotatably supports one ofsaid shafts which permits said supports to be positioned on either ahorizontal or vertical surface; a ratchet mounted on one of said shafts;a pawl pivotally mounted on one of said supports and engaging saidratchet; a helical spring situated Within the confines of said member,With one end of said spring affixed to said member and the other end ofsaid spring to said shaft on which said ratchet is mounted; and a crankwhich can engage said ratchet bearing shaft, with said crank by beingrotated regulating the torsion on said spring, and said ratchet and pawlmaintaining said torsion on said spring whereby the weight of a rugextending downwardly from said member is compensated for and said memberremains in a stationary position.

4. A rug displaying device which includes: a hollow elongated rugsupporting member; a pair of shafts, with each of said shafts having aportion thereof that extends longitudinally into the connes of saidmember; means for journaling the inwardly positioned ends of said shaftswithin the confines of said member; a pair of plates, with each of saidplates aiixed to one of the ends of said member, and each of said plateshaving a bore formed therein in which one of said shafts is journaled; apair of supports, with each of said supports rotatably supporting one ofsaid shafts; a ratchet mounted on the outer end of one of said shafts; apawl pivotally mounted on a pin extending outwardly from one of saidsupports, with said pawl engaging said ratchet; a helical springencircling said ratchet bearing shaft within the confines of saidmember, with said spring on one end being connected to said member andon the other end to a pin extending through said ratchet bearing shaft;a helical spring situated within the confines of said member andencircling said shaft on which a ratchet is not mounted, with saidspring being situated between one side of said journaling means and apin extending through said shaft, and said spring being at all times incompression; a ring affixed to the outer portion of said non ratchetbearing shaft, with said ring being forced by said compressed springinto the interior surface of one of said supports to prevent lateralmovement of said rug supporting member; a crank which can engage saidratchet bearing shaft, with said crank on being rotated regulating thetorsion on said spring, and said ratchet and pawl maintaining saidtorsion on said spring whereby the weight of a rug extending downwardlyfrom said rug supporting member is compensated for; and a hori- Zontallypositioned bar axed to the lower edge of the rug mounted on said rugsupporting member, with said bar striking said supports upon said rugbeing rolled up and preventing further rotation of said member.

HARRY L. RUBIN. ALBERT RUBIN. DAVID RUBIN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 971,319 Sheppard Sept. 27, 1910 1,457,026 Hanses May 29, 19231,975,633 Cakora Oct. 2, 1934 2,520,618 Winter Aug. 29, 1950

